


Chlorine

by DramaticalHearts (kusokawaii)



Category: Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-01-09
Packaged: 2018-09-15 22:26:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9260552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kusokawaii/pseuds/DramaticalHearts
Summary: When she watched Aoi Asahina during the broadcast, she found her charming, kind, and strong.But seeing her in real life, before her eyes, had unexpected effects.And slowly, Seiko Kimura's world began to change.(SeikoAoi, final-killing-game-doesn't-happen AU, gift fic forhyakunana)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Iiiit's rarepair time~!
> 
> This fic is my gift to hyakunana.tumblr.com in the DR Secret Santa 2016 exchange! She asked for Seiko/Aoi, and since there was no single fic of that pairing on ao3, I couldn't help but...go overboard. ^^;
> 
> SO, this is the first of three chapters I have in mind at the moment. I haven't started writing the second chapter yet, but I'd like to soon.
> 
> Also, this may or may not be the final title. I have literally no idea what to title this yet, so ^^' Swimming chemistry. Yeah.
> 
> OH, and special thanks to my betas, [nikki_ntm](http://archiveofourown.org/users/nikki_ntm) and [LaDragonaria](http://archiveofourown.org/users/LaDragonaria/pseuds/LaDragonaria)!

It was an auspicious day. The televised killing game had come to an end.

The newly-formed Future Foundation had been waiting, hoping, praying, that there would be survivors in the end. And, against all the odds, the one boy they had never expected to survive, had been the one to save the students left, and deliver punishment to the one responsible for all of this – Junko Enoshima.

Now, their underclassmen were about to open the door that would reveal to them the ruined world that they were about to inhabit. A fleet of Foundation members were already on the move, to meet and rescue them before they met a quick demise.

Kyosuke Munakata, their vice president and a skilled swordsman, led the team. He was joined by Juzo Sakakura, former Ultimate Boxer and Kyosuke's right-hand man. Following them were a quiet, solemn Sonosuke Izayoi, Ultimate Blacksmith, and his former Hope's Peak classmate, Seiko Kimura, Ultimate Pharmacist.

Seiko felt small and out-of-place among this team of warriors, but she knew her role was important, too – the three men would guard and defend the survivors until the aircraft could leave the danger zone; Seiko would tend to their wounds and administer medication, if needed.

Riding in the helicopter with them, she felt anxious, as she always did when she had to be on the ground in a danger zone, but she trusted that her comrades would protect her. Especially Juzo, with whom she shared an unspoken bond – Juzo was headstrong and stubborn, often injuring himself in the process, and though he would shrug off offers of help at first, when it came down to it, he trusted Seiko to heal his wounds every time. He wouldn't say much while being treated. When he felt the positive effects of her treatment, he'd smile, just a little, and pat her head with a small 'thanks'.

It wasn't much, but for a man who most would describe as 'prickly' or 'hostile', it spoke volumes.

She looked over to him now, and frowned. His expression had turned sour since Junko's execution, and looked even more unpleasant now, for reasons Seiko didn't understand at the time. She hoped that he wouldn't be distracted during their mission. They couldn't afford a single error. Not with such precious lives at stake.

The building that was once their beloved academy soon came into view. Their pilot, one of the guards employed by the Future Foundation, landed the helicopter a distance away from where the surviving students would exit the school.

“Could you not have landed closer to the school?” Kyosuke asked the pilot in a scathing tone.

“This was the nearest clear spot. Make it work,” the pilot answered.

Kyosuke let out an irritated sigh, getting up from his seat. “The students will be exiting soon,” he said, straightening. “Prepare yourselves.”

Kyosuke drew his retracted sword. Juzo moved to stand beside him, pulling up his sleeves and rolling his shoulders. Sonosuke checked his weapons, rearranging a couple to put them in a better position for quick retrieval. Seiko smoothed out her clothes, double-checked her supplies.

Kyosuke looked over them all, gave a satisfied nod, then opened the door.

Kyosuke stepped out first, extending his sword to its full length. Juzo stepped out a second after, moving to stand beside Kyosuke. Seiko stepped out next, positioning herself behind the two. Sonosuke exited last, taking his position in the rear of the group.

“Lock the door,” Kyosuke instructed the pilot, who promptly did so. The pilot would guard the helicopter from takeover during their brief absence.

With that, they set off toward the school at a brisk pace, in arrow-like formation. The sky was a grim gray. The ravens known to flock on the dead trees were nowhere to be seen. There was not a caw, not a rustle, only the scraping of their soles against the cracked pavement. Seiko froze for a second, hearing rustling noises come from somewhere nearby. She looked to her comrades for confirmation, but got none. Her imagination must’ve gotten the best of her.

The party was silent, every one of them focused on their destination but keenly aware of their environment. Kyosuke and Juzo, when they worked together, were unstoppable in battle, so despite the danger involved, Seiko felt safe in their presence.

After what felt like an eternity, they arrived at the school's (new) doorstep, just before the heavy steel door that was currently sealed shut. They kept their distance. The building had been heavily protected and armed, all of which – they assumed – would disable as soon as the button on the remote the students had been given was pressed.

Their timing had been spot-on, for not long after they had arrived there the door began to whir and creak, the seals and locks coming undone. In the meantime, the clouds in the sky parted, allowing the midday sun to shine down upon the scene.

Slowly – and loudly – the door opened, revealing to the students the real world.

They blinked blearily at the bright sunlight. Kyosuke stepped forward to meet them. What a sight he must've been to them: Dressed almost all in white, they must have thought for a moment he was the source of the light.

The smallest of the students – their Ultimate Hope – shielded his eyes with his hand, looked up at Kyosuke, asked “Who are you?”

Kyosuke, without missing a beat, answered: “I am Munakata Kyosuke, vice president of the Future Foundation. We are here to rescue you.”

The students peered around to look at the small group gathered nearby, then talked among themselves for a moment. _“Can we trust them?”_ could plainly be heard.

“If you want to live, come with us,” Kyosuke interjected in a severe tone. “There's no telling what else Enoshima has up her sleeve.”

The lavender-haired girl whispered in the small boy's ear, and after a moment, he nodded. He turned to face Kyosuke, standing as tall and straight as he could.

“Alright, we'll go with you.”

Kyosuke nodded and stepped aside, gesturing to the rescue party. “Right this way.”

The survivors stepped forward, the small boy leading them. Swiftly they came into closer view of the rest of the rescue party – first, Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate Lucky student, an unexpected strength present in his eyes. Beside him was Kyoko Kirigiri, Ultimate Detective and the only child of the late headmaster of Hope's Peak, Jin Kirigiri. Following her, Byakuya Togami, Ultimate Affluent Progeny, his footsteps firm and brisk. With him came Toko Fukawa, Ultimate Writing Prodigy, following him closely. Behind them walked Aoi Asahina, Ultimate Swimmer, her eyes still shining bright with hope. Finally, just behind her, Yasuhiro Hagakure, Ultimate Fortune Teller, anxiety plainly obvious on his face.

Seeing the world outside at last, their optimism had diminished visibly, replaced by anxiety and fear, but Seiko could tell that their hope hadn't vanished yet. That was good.

Kyosuke walked alongside the group, shielding them, his sword at the ready. They exchanged no words. Kyosuke stared straight ahead, the survivors only giving him momentary, wary glances before they looked forward again.

They looked warier still when they reached the rescue party. Seiko couldn't deny that her group had an intimidating air to it, with men who spared no pleasantries. She hoped she could soothe the nerves of the survivors once they were in motion together... if only a little.

Kyosuke stopped walking, and following his motion, the survivors stopped as well.

“I will not repeat this, so listen close,” Kyosuke began. The survivors all looked up at him. “Our destination is that helicopter there,” he pointed with his sword, the survivors following his gaze. “Group as tightly together as you can, we will surround you at all sides until we arrive. Kimura Seiko will join you. She will treat any wounds or injuries you may receive along the way.”

Seiko smiled under her mask and gave a shallow bow in their direction.

Yasuhiro spoke up. “Is it really going to be that dangerous-”

“Silence,” Kyosuke interrupted, shooting a glare in Yasuhiro's direction, silencing him immediately. “You will see for yourself.”

Seiko knew that Kyosuke's warnings were merely an abundance of caution, but still, she hoped that they would arrive back at headquarters without incident.

“We have no time to lose. Let's go,” Kyosuke finished curtly, turning away and stepping forward to take his place at the head of the group once more. The survivors awkwardly grouped together, one of them squawking when their foot was stepped on, settling only when they had reached a comfortable proximity to each other. Byakuya grimaced still, Toko getting a bit too close for his comfort, but it couldn't be helped.

Juzo, taking his cue, took his position at the front of the group, a short distance across from Kyosuke. Sonosuke silently moved to take his position in the rear of the group, preparing his self-made arsenal. Seiko, feeling shy, quickly stepped into the fray to stand beside the survivors, just behind Juzo, and near Makoto and Aoi. She looked to them and smiled, letting it reach her eyes – she didn't feel comfortable enough to take off her mask, yet.

“H-hello,” she said. “Don't let them scare you. They only want to protect you.”

From the corner of her eye she saw Juzo stiffen slightly.

“Ready?” Kyosuke called, looking back at them. Hesitantly, the survivors nodded, along with the other rescue party members.

With that, they started to move forward.

They weren't as fast as before, compensating for the pace of the group of students, who were taking in the sight of the world around them. The silence felt foreboding somehow, their footsteps seeming like the calm before a storm.

But so far, nothing had happened.

With the helicopter within reach, Seiko’s tension eased somewhat – perhaps they were in the clear.

Then the rustling began.

Like the small noises she had heard on their way to the school, but louder. Closer.

The group stopped – listening, watching.

Out of the wreckage surrounding them, others began to emerge. Some fast, some slow, all with a manic, despair-filled look in their eyes.

Ultimate Despair.

The former 77 th  class of Hope's Peak Academy had assembled here, undoubtedly led here by the news of their leader's demise. Some ran straight for the school without looking back, paying the rescue party no mind. Others lingered for a moment, observed. The survivors observed them as well, frozen in place.

A small group turned toward them, the intent of revenge clear in their eyes.

The rescue party were ready for them.

At once they struck. A strong man and woman attacked them with brute force, dodging the rescue party's strikes fluidly. A swordswoman – seemingly carrying out the request of a small blond boy, who watched from afar – attacked Kyosuke alone.

Juzo fought off the large man, and dodged the unarmed woman's strikes. They changed their focus to Sonosuke, who released his spears. Kyosuke held his own against the swordswoman, but she didn't let up, even for a second. Kyosuke faltered, and in that split second Juzo stepped in, throwing a punch in the woman's direction. The woman jumped back and raised her sword at Juzo.

Juzo stepped back, and dodged her attack as swift as lightning. He turned to look at the survivors gathered right behind him, and narrowed his eyes for a split-second.

The woman turned her sword at him again, eyes twisted with a thirst for death. Juzo dodged the attack by the skin of teeth, self-preservation clouding his purpose and leaving Makoto Naegi hazardously exposed.

Just then, Makoto sneezed hard, his head ducking downward and his body turning away. Instead the sword came down, striking Aoi's arm.

Time came to a halt like a taunt. The sword sliced through Aoi’s arm with the precision of a scalpel and could easily come for her chest next. Aoi yelped, and Seiko drew a gasp so sharp her throat stung, and she forgot all about holding her position, moving swiftly to her side to check the wound. It was bleeding already.

“We need to move!” Kyosuke shouted to the team.

“A-Asahina-san's hurt!” Seiko called out.

“Can you treat her while we're moving?” Kyosuke said, looking back at her.

“Y-yes, I think so!”

“Do it, then,” Kyosuke said, turning back and starting to move forward. He reengaged the swordswoman, driving her back.

The group moved forward with him, their fighting members on the defense, and Seiko turned to Aoi.

“A-Asahina-san, give me your arm,” Seiko asked, her voice wavering.

Aoi held out her arm, and Seiko's stomach fell – she was bleeding profusely.

But, Seiko knew how to stop the bleeding, for now. She reached into her pack, brought out a small container of powder and a bottle of liquid. Blotting her arm with a clean cloth, she shook the powder onto the cut, brushed away the excess, then painted the liquid over the wound to seal it. She finished with a quick spray that relieved the pain and would assist the healing process. All while walking beside her.

“Wow!” Aoi said, having watched the entire process without flinching. “You did that so fast!” She looked Seiko in the eye and smiled, her eyes seeming to sparkle in awe. “You're amazing!”

Seiko's heart skipped a beat, and her feet slowed. Feeling heat rising to her face, she struggled to form a reply.

“Th-thank you...”

“Keep moving!” Kyosuke shouted over his shoulder, parrying another swordblow.

Seiko jolted in alarm, scrambling to match everyone's pace once again.

She looked over to Aoi, and saw that the joy had left her face, replaced by worry as she observed the scene unfolding around them.

She took a deep breath, and let it out. Her heart was still beating too fast, and not just because of the current danger they were in. Seiko had come to know every subtlety and nuance of Aoi’s face and personality during the broadcast, of course, but being face-to-face with her was more... overwhelming than she had expected.

There was no time to think on that now, though – Kyosuke, Juzo, and Sonosuke were still fighting off Ultimate Despair, inching forward little by little.

“We have to go!” Kyosuke shouted to the team.

“We're just going to let them live?!” Juzo shouted back, throwing a punch.

Kyosuke shoved the swordswoman back firmly, then faced Juzo. “We have no choice. Vengeance can wait another day. What's important now is getting the survivors to safety.” He looked over and blocked the swordswoman's returning strike just in time.

“Right,” Juzo said, reluctantly. He looked up then, and his eyes widened.

“Look! It's him!”

Seiko turned, and saw a stunning, unnerving sight – a young man with searing red eyes and long, long dark brown hair, perched atop a pile of rubble, observing them coldly. No one had seen where he had come from, or heard him arrive.

Kyosuke looked in the same direction, eyes narrowed.

“The abomination,” he muttered, then grit his teeth in a snarl. “Damn it!!” he seethed, striking a sudden, forceful blow at the swordswoman, wounding her.

The small blond male called her back then, and she obeyed without a word, walking back to his side. They retreated, heading for the school at a brisk pace.

Still, the mysterious, unsettling young man remained. Kyosuke looked up at him, in an attempt to lock eyes with him, to wordlessly promise _we will meet again._

But the young man's glance averted, and he looked down at the survivors instead. His eyes met those of Makoto Naegi's, and for an extended moment, they silently stared at one another. Makoto couldn't seem to be able to look away, the expression on his face both stunned and enraptured.

It was a common reaction, Seiko thought, to those who met Izuru Kamukura for the first time.

Then, without a word, seemingly having had his fill, Izuru left them behind, trailing the rest of the former students on their way to the school.

“We're letting him go?!” Juzo said, fired up and ready for a fight.

Kyosuke clenched his teeth, then looked ahead. “We have to,” he said, his tone laced with regret. “We're nearly there. But we'll find him again. We'll find all of them.”

The look in his eyes was determined, resolute. Juzo's spirit seemed to be bolstered by this, his discouragement fading fast as he matched Kyosuke's pace once again.

The helicopter was just steps away now. So close, and yet so far. After their encounter with Ultimate Despair, Seiko didn't feel assured that the rest of their trip would be uneventful.

“We're here!” Kyosuke shouted to the helicopter pilot, who quickly climbed over to the door, ready to open it.

Kyosuke's shout triggered even more rustling, and mechanical whirring. At once, out of shrubs and rubble, robotic Monokumas emerged, at first bumbling, then all too ready for attack, running at them with their teeth bared.

“Fuck!” Juzo exclaimed.

“Hurry, get on the helicopter!” Kyosuke called to the survivors. He moved from his position in the front of the group and motioned them forward.

“M-me too?” Seiko replied, raising her voice.

“Yes! Go!”

The survivors didn't hesitate to run for the helicopter at the sight of the Monokumas. Seiko hurried with them, sparing a glance at her comrades as she went. Kyosuke had turned to face the swarm, his sword readied, guarding the survivors with Juzo and Sonosuke at his side. Sonosuke slung his spears at the robotic bears, disabling a few of them before they could reach the group.

The door to the helicopter opened, and the survivors quickly filed into the craft one by one. Seiko was the last to board, looking over her shoulder again. Kyosuke and Juzo, slashing and striking, were driving back the Monokumas, while Sonosuke kept the rest of the enemies at bay, all of them stepping backward in small increments, closing the distance between them and the helicopter door.

She and the survivors moved to find seats in the already-cramped helicopter. She ended up seated next to Aoi – partly by design – and she looked her over. Aoi was looking straight ahead, through the window, and trembling.

“M-may I see your arm, Asahina-san?” Seiko asked, and Aoi seemed to snap out of a trance, and stretched out her arm for Seiko to see. Seiko gave a silent, relieved sigh – the wound had stopped bleeding entirely.

“I-it looks good.”

Aoi smiled politely, a tinge of anxiety present in her features. Seiko, despite her own anxiety, tried to give her a reassuring look, smiling under her mask. She placed her hand atop Aoi's, feeling it tremble beneath her palm. She gently stroked her knuckles in small circles with her fingertips. She understood her terror, her horror. She, as did the other survivors, thought that Monokuma had been defeated, that they had taken him down once and for all.

They had a rude awakening ahead of them.

“Move!” Kyosuke shouted, motioning for Juzo and Sonosuke to board the helicopter. With laser-like precision Sonosuke unleashed more spears at the Monokumas, then boarded the helicopter. Juzo followed fast after him, nodding at Kyosuke, then boarding the helicopter with a bound.

Kyosuke stood guard as they boarded, inching toward the helicopter door. With the door at his back, he blocked the Monokuma's strikes and plunged his sword into its face, igniting the sword as he pulled it upward, splitting the robotic bear's head in two. He kicked its now-useless body back and swiftly boarded the helicopter, shutting the door firmly behind his back.

The survivors sat in silence, rendered dumbstruck by what they had just witnessed, staring at him in awe. Kyosuke paid them no mind, turning smoothly to the pilot. “We're ready. Get us out of here.”

The pilot nodded and started the helicopter's engine. Kyosuke went back to where the passengers were seated. Juzo had resorted to standing, all the seats having been taken by the survivors (and Sonosuke, who had silently taken the last seat soon after he had boarded). Kyosuke joined him, collapsing and sheathing his sword.

He gazed at the gathered survivors, a stern look in his eyes.

They braced themselves for liftoff, and once they were in the air, Kyosuke began to speak.

“The world that you are in now, is no longer the world that you all remember,” he said, addressing the survivors. “What Enoshima Junko told you is, for the most part, true. Despair still fills the streets. But, it won't for long.” His eyes turned steely. “I, with other Hope's Peak graduates and alumni, have formed the Future Foundation, our sole mission: Rescuing the world from Despair. You are in safe hands now.”

Makoto raised his still-trembling hand meekly. “M-Munakata-san, where are we going?”

“To our headquarters. It won't be long now, so prepare yourselves for landing soon. Any further questions can wait until then,” Kyosuke answered, then turned to look out the window.

Aoi sighed softly, looking downward. Seiko, not sure what else to do, wrapped her fingers around her hand and gripped it gently, reassuringly.

“I-it's going to be okay, I promise. You're safe now,” she told her, with more confidence in her voice than she felt.

Aoi looked up at her, and gave a relieved smile.

 _Ba-dump_ . Seiko felt vaguely flustered, faced with Aoi's sheer _cuteness_ again. She had such an innocent smile, even after everything she had been through. It was endearing.

Taking a breath, she simply nodded at her in reply, smiling under her mask.

Her hand still atop Aoi's, lightly, Seiko looked out the window at the ruined world quickly passing by below them.

Hope's Peak's survivors were safe, but nothing would ever be the same again.

 

* * *

 

Once they had arrived at the Future Foundation's headquarters, the six survivors of the Hope's Peak killing game were examined one-by-one thoroughly, their physical and psychological health accessed, diagnoses made. Seiko cleaned and treated Aoi's wound more thoroughly, Aoi giving her a warm, appreciative smile in return. Seiko bid her goodbye afterward, a warm feeling in her chest, unsure when they would meet again.

First, the survivors needed to undergo cognitive therapy, to restore their lost memories, or at the very least repair the damage that Junko had helped cause. Miaya Gekkogahara, former Ultimate Therapist, would oversee their recovery. Whether the survivors would ultimately earn positions within the Future Foundation, upon recovery, was yet to be seen.

Seiko tried not to dwell on it, though. She simply continued her work in the fourth division, waiting for word to come down from the division that oversaw their recovery.

What she did not expect, was to receive the news of their recovery quite the way she did.

One afternoon, just over a month after the rescue mission, Seiko was in her laboratory, working on new medicines and tonics that could be put to use on the field and beyond. She was carefully pouring one beaker's liquid into another, when she heard a light, quick knock at her door.

She had long since gotten used to being interrupted during her work, for various reasons, so luckily she didn't spill a drop of her concoction. Instead she set the beaker she held into its holder, then stepped out from behind her work table to answer the door.

“Y-yes?” she said upon opening the door, then her words died on her tongue.

Standing there at the other side of the door, was none other than Aoi Asahina, dressed in formal attire, with a Future Foundation pin affixed to her lapel.

“Hi! Remember me?” Aoi asked, that familiar sunny smile on her face.

Seiko struggled to find words again. “A-Asahina-san, what brings you here?”

“I just wanted to ask you for a couple things. Can I come in?” Aoi leaned to the side, trying to get a peek inside the room. “I know you're busy...”

“S-sure,” Seiko said, against her better judgment. She stepped back, allowing Aoi to enter, shutting the door behind her gently.

“Hold on a moment,” Seiko said, walking back to the work table, picking a beaker back up to finish mixing the solutions. Aoi watched in awe as the liquid's color changed to a pale green.

“What's that for?”

Seiko set down the now-empty beaker. “If this blends right, it will be a potent, long-lasting anti-emetic.”

Aoi paused for a moment. “A what...?”

Seiko felt a smile tug at her lips at the sight of Aoi's confused expression. “An anti-nausea drug.”

“Ohhh...that kind of thing's pretty important these days now, huh...” Uneasiness entered Aoi's voice.

Seiko nodded. “It wouldn't do well if our agents on the ground are overcome so easily, and we don't have the time to develop stronger stomachs, so this may prove quite useful.”

“Right...”

“Anyway,” Seiko said, turning the Bunsen burner underneath the beaker of solution on, making a small flame, “what do you need?”

“Ah!” Aoi said with a jolt, having been temporarily distracted. “Well, first... do you have anything for scars? The cut on my arm healed, but it left an ugly scar...” She pulled back her sleeve, exposing her arm. “See?”

Seiko looked closer – indeed, on the tan skin of her arm, she saw a long, unsightly scar.

“Ah, yes, I have something for that,” Seiko said, her eyes lighting up. “Hold on.”

She turned to the shelves behind her, scanning the labeled bottles and jars for the treatment she was looking for. “Ah,” she said, finding what she was looking for.

It ended up being a jar of an opaque cream, which she brought down to Aoi.

“H-here,” she said, unscrewing the lid. “This should work.”

She dipped her fingertips into the cream, a small amount of it clinging to them. Then she spread the cream across the full length of the scar, gently rubbing it in. The scar aside, her skin was soft.

“Ah,” Aoi said suddenly. “Is it supposed to tingle?”

“Yes. That's good.”

When she finished applying it, she screwed the cap back on the jar tightly, then handed it to her.

“Here.”

Aoi pulled her sleeve back down, taking the jar tentatively.

“You should apply that every night for a week or two.”

Examining the jar for a moment, Aoi looked up at her and smiled. “Thank you so much! Are you sure you don't want me to give this back when I'm done, though...?”

Seiko shook her head. “It's okay. I can always make more.”

Remembering herself, Seiko turned and went back to the table, looking at the heated solution, then turning the Bunsen burner down to a low flame. She looked up again in time to see Aoi slipping the jar into her jacket's pocket.

“W-what was the other request you had?”

“Oh!” Aoi said, then walked up close to the table, her eyes scanning the shelves behind Seiko quickly. “Uhm, can you... make protein drinks, by any chance?”

“Protein drinks?”

“Yeah, I asked Ando-san about it, but she said she only works with sweets, so she sent me here to ask you.”

Seiko sighed quietly. Ruruka. She wondered how she had talked about her to Aoi – with disdain? Disgust? A passive-aggressive sneer? She could only guess.

She shoved those thoughts to the back of her mind – thinking of Ruruka always put her in a bad mood. “What kind of drink do you need?”

Aoi perked up. “Well, I liked the drinks they had in Hope's Peak a lot, but we can't seem to get those here, so I'd like something similar to that. Someone told me there's a pool near here that I can use, so I'd really like to get back to swimming again when I can.” Her eyes lit up in excitement at the mere thought of being able to swim again. The pure love and passion for her talent – something most Hope's Peak alumni had in common.

Seiko nodded. “Okay. Do you have a preference as to the protein source?”

“Huh?”

“I could use whey, soy, powdered egg white, beef...”

“Oh! Ah, whey would be fine!” Aoi smiled. “You could make protein drinks with those other proteins, too?”

“Certainly,” Seiko nodded. “I have whey and soy here, but I could get in egg white or beef powder if you were allergic to either of those.”

“Ah, I'm not allergic to anything. Thank God,” Aoi laughed.

Seiko nodded, and grabbed a notepad and pen from the far end of the table. “Do you want it to be sweet?”

“Yeah! But not too sweet.”

Seiko scribbled. “Any flavor you would like?”

“Hmm... I like strawberry. And chocolate, too. Either one of those would be okay.”

Seiko wrote another note.

“Do you usually make protein drinks?”

“Yes, regularly,” Seiko nodded. “Sakakura-san and Gozu-san drink them often. However, making a formulation that supports lean muscle mass such as yours shouldn't be a challenge.”

“Ah, great! Thank you!” Aoi beamed.

Seiko smiled too, though Aoi probably couldn't see it. “I should have yours finished by the end of the week.”

“Okay!”

Aoi paused then, casting a passive glance around the lab, then back at Seiko.

“It's nice to see you again. I haven't seen you around since I came out of therapy.”

Seiko perked up. “How long ago was that?”

“Hmm... about, a week ago, I think?”

“What branch were you assigned to?”

“The thirteenth,” she said, her smile slightly pained.

“Ah, well, I'm in the fourth, so that's probably why.”

“I've seen a lot of people from the other branches around, though...”

Seiko paused. “Oh, well... I, don't leave the lab that often, to be honest. I have a few duties that I need go outside the lab for, but other than that, I stay here. I have a bathroom there,” she pointed to the left, “and my bed is here,” she pointed to a folded cot on the floor to the right. “And I keep some food in the refrigerator with the medicines that need to be kept cold. So, I'm all set here,” she smiled, letting it reach her eyes.

“Oh...”

“I always have a lot of work to do, so it's for the best, really,” Seiko said, turning off the Bunsen burner to let her latest concoction cool.

“Doesn't it get kind of lonely, though?”

Seiko paused in place. She hadn't expected that question. “W-well, sometimes people stop by for things they need, like you did today, so it's not so bad...”

She looked to Aoi then, who was looking at her curiously.

She seemed to take her word for it. “Alright, well, thank you for your help! When should I come back to pick up my protein?”

“I should have it ready by Saturday.”

“Great!! See you then!” Aoi smiled and waved as she walked to the door. “Thanks again!”

“You're welcome,” Seiko bowed.

The door opened and shut, silence returning to her laboratory, filling every corner. Seiko sighed, returning to her work, placing her new anti-emetic in the refrigerator. It was only then that she noticed her heart beating faster than normal, only now beginning to slow down. Even stranger, though she hadn't noticed it before, in Aoi's absence, she did feel... lonely.

 _Do I.._. _like_ _having her around?_

 


End file.
